The present invention generally relates to video tape recorders and more particularly, to a portable integrated video camera/recorder unit in which a video camera for converting an image of an object into video signals and a cassette type video tape recorder for recording onto a magnetic tape of a video tape cassette the video signals delivered from the video camera are integrally combined with each other.
In commercially available prerecorded video tape cassettes, it is usually so arranged that an erasure prevention tab 2 of a video tape cassette 1 of FIG. 1 is preliminarily snapped off so as to prevent erroneous erasure of the video signals from the magnetic tape or erroneous recording of the video signals onto the magnetic tape. Meanwhile, in addition to the commercially available prerecorded video tape cassettes, such a case may happen that the user snaps off the erasure prevention tab also in the case where he does not want to erroneously erase from the magnetic tape, contents recorded for his private use onto the magnetic tape. In the case where such video tape cassette whose erasure prevention tab 2 has been removed therefrom is loaded into the video tape recorder (hereinbelow, referred to as a "VTR"), absence of the erasure prevention tab 2 is detected by a detection means incorporated in the VTR such that recording of the video signals onto the magnetic tape cannot be performed.
Meanwhile, in the case where the video tape cassette has the erasure prevention tab 2 as shown in FIG. 1, presence of the erasure prevention tab 2 is detected by the detection means such that the video signals can be freely recorded onto or erased from the magnetic tape.
Conventionally, in VTRs, it has been generally so arranged that since it is not so necessary to directly convey information regarding presence and absence of the erasure prevention tab to the users, the VTRs do not have a function of displaying whether or not the loaded video tape cassette has the erasure prevention tab 2. However, in the VTRs, the information regarding presence and absence of the erasure prevention tab 2 is vital for the operational efficiency. Namely, since the VTRs are required to be operated efficiently, it is desirable that recording of the video signals onto the magnetic tape can be started immediately upon loading of the video tape cassette into the VTRs. To this end, when the video tape cassette having the erasure prevention tab, i.e., the video tape cassette enabling recording of the video signals onto the magnetic tape has been loaded into the VTR, a recording standby state is established such that recording of the video signals onto the magnetic tape can be started if a decision has been made as to the image of the object to be recorded.
Furthermore, if it is so arranged that recording of the video signals onto the magnetic tape can be started or temporarily stopped by a single push button, it becomes possible to start or temporarily stop recording of the video signals onto the magnetic tape upon loading of the video tape cassette into the VTR by merely depressing the above described push button, thereby resulting in improvement of the operational efficiency.